Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Ki Teitzei.
The Parsha starts with the Law of a Jewish Soldier who goes out to war against a foreign enemy and sees an eishes 'Yefas Toar,' a foreign woman 'of beautiful form,' who is not Jewish and he desires her.The Law explains what he may do to make her his wife .The Law says that he cannot just take her when he wants. He must first bring her home,shave her hair and let her nails grow long and wear garments that are not so appealing and so shall she be for a month before the man is able to arrange marriage to her.
HaShem does not desire a man to pick a wife just by outward appearances , nor is a Jewish man to go outside the faith and intermarry.HaShem instructs these Laws , knowing that it was only by physical desire that the soldier in the heat of battle, picked this foreign woman, only by her outward appearance.Seeing her, not looking so appealing,with her hair cut and her nails long and not in beautiful clothes (which was a way the other nations in the past would fight their wars, by dressing their women in finery so as to distract the soldiers they were at war with) ,HaShem hoped the Jewish soldier would leave her alone and not desire to marry her.
HaShem allowed this way that a Soldier could marry a foreign woman, for He knows human desire, yet at no stage does HaShem like it.In fact, by the chronology of this portion, HaShem issues a quiet warning of the results of such foreign desire, for straight after this portion of the 'Yefas Toar,' the Torah discussed the 'Hated Wife,' which is the result in the end,of marrying out of such physical desire (and not true love in the heart ) and then Torah goes on to talk of the 'Bein Sorer Umoreh,' the 'Wayward and Rebellious Son.' The Torah puts things in this chronology , to show us that marrying a foreign person out of physical desire,leads to hatred in the end between husband and wife and a marriage to a person not of the Jewish faith, for the reason only of a physical desire and not for the right reasons ,where the person comes because of love of HaShem and HaShem's Truth ,but only such physical desires, leads to a son who ends up to be a rebel and wayward.
We see this in the case of Dovid HaMelech, who married a 'Yefas Toar' called Ma'acha,who was the daughter of the Talmai, the King of Geshur and out of this union ,even after she converted, gave birth to Avshalom who rebelled against his Father David and took over his father David's throne,causing David and David's family to run from his palace.From Ma'acha, a woman of 'Beautiful Form,' came her son Avshalom who prided himself so much on his looks that he never wanted to cut his hair and so it grew long and became the cause of his death, when David's general Yoav thrust three spears into Avshalom's heart (for the three concubines of David that Avshalom took) when Avshalom was running from Yoav and his hair got caught in a tree's branches. Such was the result of a 'Yefas Toar.'
A true Ger , who converts to Yiddishkeit out of love for HaShem and the Truth of The Torah , is much loved by HaShem.
So what do we learn from this? The answer to that is the name of this week's Parsha, called 'Ki Teitzei LaMilchama ,' which means ,' When you will go out to war against your enemies,' for when we 'Go out of HaShem's Laws and HaShem's Moral code ,it is then,that we walk on foreign territory. The word 'Ki,' doesn't only mean 'When,' but it also means 'Because,' and putting the 'Because ' here , we get 'Because you go out (from HaShem's Holy Ways to foreign ways and foreign desires) you will end up with 'Milchama,' - 'War.'
HaShem gives us a beautiful Torah to follow.We are not to change one single word of it or give up a single Law of it,even if modern times try to get us to.HaShem's Laws are forever and we are not to add to or subtract anything from Torah, but we are to follow Torah as G-D Gave it.To change anything would be like stepping out of Torah, even for a single change.There should never be any other pathway, but the pathway of a full Torah Following Life.
Our Holy Torah is the Pathway to G-D . Stepping out of that pathway, only leads to destruction . HaShem gives us Torah Laws , not to control us , but to keep us safe , on the path of life . We may not always agree with everything , but those are the times to trust G-D , for He Always Knows Better .
'Ki Teitzei,' HaShem says , 'When you go out,' from My Ways ( HaShem's Ways ) , know that the path will lead you into danger . This Parsha ends with Amalek that attacked us , showing the result of going away from HaShem's Safe Torah Pathway to Shamaim .
There is only one way to travel and that is HaShem's way and if we don't 'Ki Teitzei,' - 'Go out from that way , we can be assured of returning to HaShem.
With love to HaShem , I wish HaShem with love , a Blessed Holy Shabbos Kodesh with love and to all , a Blessed Holy Shabbos with love .
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